St Andrew’s Hospice have been short-listed to become the latest recipients of funding from Scotmid Co-operative’s Community Connect initiative – potentially being awarded up to £15,000 to further their services.
Community Connect was initially trialled in the North of Scotland last year and enables Scotmid members to award good cause groups in their local area with funding of up to £15,000, generated via the sale of single use carrier bags.
In Scotmid’s West Member Region – encompassing Glasgow, Paisley, Ayrshire, Dumfries and Galloway and Lanarkshire – St Andrew’s Hospice are one of three good cause groups, who have been short-listed by a Scotmid member selection panel to receive a financial award of either £15,000, £7,500 or £2,500.
The other short-listed Good Cause Groups are Equitots and Esteem Clydesdale.
Scotmid members collect votes by swiping their Community Connect card after every in-store purchase and then cast their votes for their preferred good cause group at Scotmid’s West Region Ordinary General Meeting in Bellshill in October.
Based in Airdrie, St Andrew’s Hospice provides specialist palliative care to patients with life limiting illness in both South and North Lanarkshire.
The Community Connect funding will be used to purchase a new minibus to transport patients to their outpatient services. The Hospice’s outpatient services include complimentary therapy, adult bereavement sessions and children’s drop-in services.
St Andrew’s Hospice’s Lorna McCafferty said: “We are committed to providing specialist palliative care to patients in both North & South Lanarkshire and making it is as person centred as possible.
“The Community Connect funding will not only allow us to continue providing these crucial services but will also be used to purchase a new mini bus to assist patients to attend our outpatient services; including physiotherapy, occupational therapy and complimentary therapy.”
The recipients of the first-ever Community Connect award for £15,000 was charity Street Connect, who plan to use the funding to refurbish their Outreach Cafe in Glasgow city centre – helping support disadvantaged individuals dealing with addiction problems and related life-controlling issues such as mental health, homelessness and isolation.